The first international report of Dublin's "issues" emerges, it ain't pretty

Kermit.de.frog

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-10-23/coke-selling-beggars-and-punch-ups-plague-downtown-dublin.html


This is only the beginning. Mark my words. Anyone still have their head in the sand should have a good read and should have a good think about how our city's reputation is going to be flushed down the toilet.

You only get away with fecklessness for so long.

I think it's good though. We need high profile articles particularly aimed at business people abroad to get action done by the authorities.

uch

If you believed most of that you should go and Live on Skellig Michael

alastair

I know I always buy my coke from gap-toothed beggars.

Lux23

I was offered coke by a beggar once, there is nothing in that article that I wouldn't believe to be honest. I still don't feel threatened walking around the city, just more annoyed.

FreudianSlippers

This week I've noticed a lot of very aggressive begging on Dame Street and Parliament Street - there was a guy standing in the door of the Spar on George/Dame just getting in the face of everyone he could.

Lux23

FreudianSlippers wrote: »

This week I've noticed a lot of very aggressive begging on Dame Street and Parliament Street - there was a guy standing in the door of the Spar on George/Dame just getting in the face of everyone he could.

There is a guy who does this outside the Centra in Stoneybatter and I swear he is going to get his head kicked in one day. He is missing part of his nose as it is.

MagicMarker

Now many of the beggars have crossed the River Liffey to the more affluent south side of the city.

Can....open.... worms.... everywhere.

FreudianSlippers

MagicMarker wrote: »

Can....open.... worms.... everywhere.

Ah in fairness, I wouldn't be callin' the beggars 'worms' -

alastair

MagicMarker wrote: »

Can....open.... worms.... everywhere.

I never noticed any distinction / weighting between begging on the northside or southside of the city centre. It's always been an equal-opportunities affair, geographically speaking.

alastair

Lux23 wrote: »

There is a guy who does this outside the Centra in Stoneybatter and I swear he is going to get his head kicked in one day. He is missing part of his nose as it is.

Probably from dipping into his own product too much.

Ole Rodrigo

What about a thread on aggressive media articles that take a minor, manageable issue and portray it in apocalyptic terms so that folk of a certain disposition have a wobbler about the world ending ?

I don't remember Bloomberg starting off as a tabloid. International report ? As in the unbiased, thoroughly researched, peer reviewed type ? Or is it the one some hungover hack invents at his grubby desk.

FreudianSlippers

ror_74 wrote: »

What about a thread on aggressive media articles that take a minor, manageable issue and portray it in apocalyptic terms so that folk of a certain disposition have a wobbler about the world ending ?

I don't remember Bloomberg starting off as a tabloid. International report ? As in the unbiased, thoroughly researched, peer reviewed type ? Or is it the one some hungover hack invents at his grubby desk.

If the issue was so manageable, why hasn't anything been done about it? Like it or not, this is how we are being viewed both internally and externally. You may have no problem with it, but don't stop the rest of us from highlighting the problems.

What's the skin off your nose (pun intended) with people trying to improve the city? I presume you're not a beggar since you have the internet, so I don't see how it impacts you at all?

BMJD

hey relax,

That prompted Fianna Fail, the biggest opposition political party, to call for more officers to police the city, echoing retailers struggling to lure shoppers back from suburban malls.

our saviours are here! all hail the FFers

Dublin “is becoming a scary place for locals and tourists alike,” said Niall Collins, Fianna Fail justice spokesman. “There are often times both during the day and night when our commercial centers are very threatening places.”

Good work, Capt. Obvious, aka Niall Collins

tayto lover

Europeans complaining about Dublin and us after bailing the feckers banks out.
If the whole bailout wasn't being forced on Irish citizens we could have cleaned up the city years ago.

alastair

FreudianSlippers wrote: »

If the issue was so manageable, why hasn't anything been done about it? Like it or not, this is how we are being viewed both internally and externally. You may have no problem with it, but don't stop the rest of us from highlighting the problems.

What's the skin off your nose (pun intended) with people trying to improve the city? I presume you're not a beggar since you have the internet, so I don't see how it impacts you at all?

The 'issue' is being overplayed. The headline in the Bloomberg piece is completely at odds with reality. A 'plague'? Really? Not a nuisance, but a 'plague' of begging. To see how we're viewed by actual tourists, why not browse through tripadvisor reviews? Try the O'Connell street reviews on for size. You'll find a fair few negative comments about junkies etc in there, amongst an overwhelming positive response to the place (no accounting for tastes). Those negative posts about junkies are predominantly by Irish posters btw, not actual tourists - reflecting the rather bizarre localised notion that Dublin is somehow exceptional in having a visible addiction problem on it's streets.

Dublin has, and always had, problems. No-one is pretending otherwise. But this nonsense about the sky being about to fall on the back of someone airing some problems in an exaggerated (yep tabloid) fashion, remain just that - a nonsense.

Kermit.de.frog

FreudianSlippers wrote: »

If the issue was so manageable, why hasn't anything been done about it? Like it or not, this is how we are being viewed both internally and externally. You may have no problem with it, but don't stop the rest of us from highlighting the problems.

What's the skin off your nose (pun intended) with people trying to improve the city? I presume you're not a beggar since you have the internet, so I don't see how it impacts you at all?

Precisely. The defenders of the realm keep missing the point. It is not about whether articles are 100% accurate or not. It is about the perception of our capital city abroad and at home.

Stuff like this is hugely damaging.

alastair

Kermit.de.frog wrote: »

It is not about whether articles are 100% accurate or not.

Clearly.

drumswan

Kermit.de.frog wrote: »

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-10-23/coke-selling-beggars-and-punch-ups-plague-downtown-dublin.html


This is only the beginning. Mark my words. Anyone still have their head in the sand should have a good read and should have a good think about how our city's reputation is going to be flushed down the toilet.

You only get away with fecklessness for so long.

I think it's good though. We need high profile articles particularly aimed at business people abroad to get action done by the authorities.

You didnt read or comment on a single positive source or article in the last thread but suddenly media reports are vital once you find one that matches your paranoid vision. Gas.

griffdaddy

Seriously, this sh1t again?

Ole Rodrigo

FreudianSlippers wrote: »

If the issue was so manageable, why hasn't anything been done about it? Like it or not, this is how we are being viewed both internally and externally. You may have no problem with it, but don't stop the rest of us from highlighting the problems.

What's the skin off your nose (pun intended) with people trying to improve the city? I presume you're not a beggar since you have the internet, so I don't see how it impacts you at all?

I don't agree that its how we're being viewed.

By all means highlight the problem. Its the hysteria with which its usually done that annoys me, tbh, in an otherwise enjoyable forum.

Please, don't suggest internet ranters are interested in any action other than internet ranting.

drumswan

ror_74 wrote: »

Please, don't suggest internet ranters are interested in any action other than internet ranting.

Course not. Not a single one of them were able to tell us what they are doing to improve the communities affected by this.

sabat

How many members of the public in Dublin attend A&E every week as a result of assaults by junkies and beggars? I'm guessing somewhere between 0 and 3. What's the corresponding figure for booze related incidents? Why do people think a few heads in tracksuits fucked up on benzos are more dangerous than a gang of 20 year olds with 10 pints on them? It's a bit rich of a publican (a different type of drug dealer) to be complaining when the substance he sells causes far more mayhem around the city every day.

Kermit.de.frog

ror_74 wrote: »

By all means highlight the problem.

Which is exactly what is being done.

Some here are in utter denial.

They are defending our kip of a city center despite the fact everyone knows it is a kip and far below the standard it should be. No police, addicts everywhere, feral youth, dealers, beggars, drunks.

This should be challenged to get something done about it - not mindlessly defended as "normal".

It's the atrociously low standards for their own city that is really an eye opener. They actually believe that Dublin city center is fine. They seem to actually believe that.

And then instead of demonstrating the type of concern any Dubliner would have reading an article like that on Bloomberg of all places and not being able to connect the damage that this does to our reputation it really is incredible that they don't seem to understand that articles like this viewed from abroad take on a whole different taint altogether.

They don't get that word of mouth is the biggest danger for this city abroad.

alastair

Kermit.de.frog wrote: »

Which is exactly what is being done.

Nope. You're ranting about a fictional scenario of your own devising.

drumswan

Kermit.de.frog wrote: »

It's the atrociously low standards for their own city that is really an eye opener. They actually believe that Dublin city center is fine. They seem to actually believe that.

Seems fine to me. Im heading up Wexford St after work, looking forward to it. I'll let you know if I get raped and murdered

drumswan

Kermit.de.frog wrote: »

And then instead of demonstrating the type of concern any Dubliner would have reading an article like that on Bloomberg of all places and not being able to connect the damage that this does to our reputation it really is incredible that they don't seem to understand that articles like this viewed from abroad take on a whole different taint altogether.

They don't get that word of mouth is the biggest danger for this city abroad.

You dont give a toss about our city, its people or what people think of it, you are only interested in moaning on the internet cos it gives you some kind of weird cyberboner.

I posted the results of the latest visitor survey for Dublin yesterday which showed an overwhelming positive response and you ignored it.

Kermit.de.frog

alastair wrote: »

Nope. You're ranting about a fictional scenario of your own devising.

You think this is fictional do you?

I give up on these two clowns. You are taking the piss/trolling.

Open your eyes. We all know what the city center is like. Your defense is verging on the moronic.

alastair

Kermit.de.frog wrote: »

You think this is fictional do you?

I give up on these two clowns. You are taking the piss/trolling.

Open your eyes. We all know what the city center is like. Your defense is verging on the moronic.

No more convincing, even with the added vitriol.

Kermit.de.frog

drumswan wrote: »

You dont give a toss about our city, its people or what people think of it, you are only interested in moaning on the internet cos it gives you some kind of weird cyberboner.

You have a very bad attitude - and your friend too.

I love this city and it's people like you that make me fcuking hate it because it reminds me of the amount of dicks in it.

drumswan

Kermit.de.frog wrote: »

You have a very bad attitude - and your friend too.

I love this city and it's people like you that make me fcuking hate it because it reminds me of the amount of dicks in it.

You dont love this city, you hate it. I can feel the hate flowing through every single post you make. Youve never had a single positive thing to say about Dublin on this website. I feel sorry for you having to live somewhere you despise and not having the backbone to do anything about it.

alastair

Kermit.de.frog wrote: »

You have a very bad attitude - and your friend too.

I love this city and it's people like you that make me fcuking hate it because it reminds me of the amount of dicks in it.

Best of luck with that. Kind of hard to see what about it you love then, what with all the 'dicks', urban decay, Luas lines bringing junkies out to your gaff, invisible police, and absence of CCTV every 20 metres.

djor88

The constant begging and approaching people at pubs and that is definitely more noticeable and on the increase in Dublin, particularly around the South William/Grafton Street areas, but who can blame these people?

I hate being approached if i'm having a pint but I'd probably do it if I was homeless and desperate too.

Homelessness is definitely rife in Dublin and I've not seen a similar level in any city in the UK i've been to over the last few years, London, Edinburgh, Manchester to name a few.

Kermit.de.frog

drumswan wrote: »

You dont love this city, you hate it. I can feel the hate flowing through every single post you make. Youve never had a single positive thing about Dublin on this website. I feel sorry for you having to live somewhere you despise and not having the backbone to do anything about it.

Do you not understand that A LOT of people in this city have very serious concerns about the city center? Do you not get that?

You clearly don't understand why. I am telling you it is a total bloody disgrace and embarrassment and everyone knows the problems.

And then you come on here all the time bent on defending it.

You should be calling for action to improve it not defending the way it is.

drumswan

Kermit.de.frog wrote: »

Do you not understand that A LOT of people in this city have very serious concerns about the city center? Do you not get that?

You clearly don't understand why. I am telling you it is a total bloody disgrace and embarrassment and everyone knows the problems.

Its not a disgrace or an embarrassment, its a brilliant, vibrant buzzing city which gives me a kick to live in every single day.

Of course there are issues in the city, as with any city. Your incandescent internet rage and out of proportion response to what are fairly run of the mill problems for any capital city lead me to believe you should see a therapist for your anger issues. Or go live somewhere else. Perhaps a small town would suit you better.

Timberrrrrrrr

Kermit.de.frog wrote: »

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-10-23/coke-selling-beggars-and-punch-ups-plague-downtown-dublin.html


This is only the beginning. Mark my words. Anyone still have their head in the sand should have a good read and should have a good think about how our city's reputation is going to be flushed down the toilet.

You only get away with fecklessness for so long.

I think it's good though. We need high profile articles particularly aimed at business people abroad to get action done by the authorities.

You really like to sensationalize the **** out of things don't you? I work in the city center and yes there are junkies/beggars but no more than any other European city i have been to and as for fights? You would see more drunken scum in suits fighting on a Friday night than beggars during the day.

January

Annnnnnd we're out.

Good one lads, we got to two pages before the accusations of trolling etc started this time. A new record.